The ifrothgolf review
A 599-quid Garmin handheld that crams a full GPS golf computer and a radar launch monitor into one pocket unit, aimed at blokes who want yardages on the course and some practice numbers without buying two separate gadgets.
What's great
As a GPS it's proper Garmin: 43,000 courses loaded, a lovely big 5 inch screen, slope yardages, virtual caddie and battery that laughs off a couple of rounds (a full 18 barely dents it). The launch monitor side nails the easy stuff. Ball speed and club speed are genuinely trustworthy, landing within a mph or two of dedicated units like the Bushnell Launch Pro and Rapsodo MLM2 Pro. For tempo work, smash factor and a rough idea of how you're striking it indoors or on the range, it does the job, and switching between GPS and radar mode is seamless.
Worth knowing
Here's the rub: the carry distance, the number you actually care about, is hit and miss. independent testing clocked it 7 to 10 yards off a GC4, and others saw 5 to 10 yard swings versus a Launch Pro, with the odd reading that's just plainly wrong. No spin, no launch angle, no club data, so it's not a coaching tool. The screen's a bit dim in bright sun, the software can get laggy loading maps, and some owners report it freezing or overheating in a pocket. At this money you're paying GPS-plus prices for launch monitor data you can't fully trust.
The verdict
If you mainly want a top-tier GPS and treat the launch monitor as a fun bonus for ball-speed and tempo feedback, I rate it. If you're buying it as a serious practice launch monitor to dial in carries, I'd avoid it and spend the money on a dedicated unit.
